Towel dispenser



June s, 1943. E RIN 2,321,154 TOWEL DISPENSER Filed Feb. 2. 5937 Z Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

J. c. PERRIN AL June 8, 1943.

TOWEL DISPENSER Filed Feb. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR. dd 67 1%r/7'0 and 1 0') Z Gear BY ATTORNEY.

a :ELEEEE Patented 'June 8, 1943 llNl'l' 2,321,154 TOWEL DISPENSER Jay C. Perrin, Los Angeles, and Paul L. Geer, Berkeley, Calif., assignors to Towlsaver, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application February 2, 1937, Serial No. 123,638

Claims.

This invention relates to and has for an object the provision of a towel dispensing apparatus which is constructed and arranged for the purpose of simplifying, reducing the cost of, and otherwise generally improving such apparatus with a view to preventing undue waste of the toweling, while at the same time simplifying and rendering more convenient the dispensing operation.

Another object is to provide a towel dispenser of the character described which is especially designed for dispensing predetermined lengths of paper toweling from a roll thereof housed in the cabinet of the dispenser.

A further object of the invention is to provide a towel dispenser of the character described which is constructed and arranged to limit the operation of the dispensing means to the issue of a single measured length of toweling at each operation and to prevent the issue of a succeeding length until a predetermined period of time elapses from the time of completion of a given dispensing operation, whereby to prevent two or more immediately successive dispensing operations and to thereby avoid waste of the toweling.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a towel dispensing machine such as described which includes a novel and efficacious manually releasable time controlled stop means arranged to operate automatically when a predetermined length of toweling has been issued or dispensed, to prevent the issuance of toweling untila predetermined period of time has elapsed, and means for manually releasing the stop means operable only at the expiration of said period of time.

An important object of this invention is to provide a towel dispenser having a novel and exceptionally eflicient gravity operated timing means. for preventing wasteful operation of the dispenser. Another important object is to provide a towel dispenser wherein the initial movement of the operating means therefor effects the release of the dispensing means and the subsequent movement of said operating means causes the dispensing means to issue a predetermined length of toweling, sets into operation the timing means and then locks the dispensing means against further operation until the timing means, after a predetermined interval of time, renders the dispensing means releasable by said operating means as aforesaid.

Other objects will appear as the description of our invention progresses.

We have shown a preferred embodiment of our improvements in the accompanying drawings, subject to modification, within the 'scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of our invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the towel dispenser of this invention, taken on the plane of line I--l and 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 1 on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1; 7

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken onthe plane of line l-l and 3-3 of Fig.2; r

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation of the runway of the timing device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation partly in section, showing the manner of starting the operation of the timing device;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the feed roller supporting and tensioning means and associated elements;

Fig. l is an enlarged view in elevation and in section showing stop means and time controlled device, in full lines as when the stop means is initially operated and in dotted lines as when said stop means is released;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section taken through the runway shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the complete dispenser;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line Iii-l0 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of one of the supporting members for the paper towel roll; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the member shown in Fig. 11. g

One embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings generally comprises a cabinet A containing a roll of paper toweling B, a dispensing means C for issuing predetermined lengths of toweling through the dispensing aperture D, a stop means E for controllingthe operation of the dispensingmeans, and a delayed action or time controlled means F for controlling the stop means whereby the same is subject to manual release only when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the issuance of a predetermined length of towelingQ With the present arrangement, when the dispensing means is manipulated to issue a predetermined length of toweling' the stop means El automatically locks the dispensing means againstfurther operation and thetime controlled means F is at this time automatically operated and during such operation the stop means remains operative to lockthe dispensing means. As hereprovided, the-time controlled means includes a gravitationally operated element G in the form of a ball which is caused to traverse a runway H of predetermined length and to finally come to rest in an operative relation to the stop means such that the latter is thereby set for manual release. The period of time required for operation of the means F, that is, the time required for the ball G thereof to gravitate along its runway may be varied as desired and for example, may be from two and onehalf to five or more seconds. During this period of time the dispensing means is inoperative and therefore the dispensing means cannot be operated immediately following one dispensing operation thereof and the wasteful issuance of toweling is prevented. When this time interval has elapsed and the ball G has set the stop means for release, it is necessary that the operator manually release the stop means before the dispensing means may be operated to issue another length of toweling. Thus, it is seen that by requiring that stop means be manually released, in order to render the dispenser operative, a second delay is set up to further discourage repeated and wasteful operations of the dispenser.

In the present instance the dispensing means serves as the medium for manually releasing the stop, means after the elapse of the predetermined time interval during which the stop means renders the dispenser inoperative. As an example, movement of the handle J of the dispensing means in the direction opposite the dispensing movement thereof will cause the stop means to be released and thereupon render the dispensing means operative.

The cabinet A comprises aback wall I and a side front and top wall unit 2' having the dispensing aperture D and hinged as at 3 to the back wall whereby to provide for ready access to the interior of the cabinet. Suitable locking means not shown may be employed in addition to the latch 3a to lock the cabinet assembled, if desired, and any suitable bracket orother supporting means also not shown may be employed to secure the cabinet in the desired position upon a wall or the like.

The roll B of paper toweling has a tubular core 4 provided at one end with a flanged adapter 5 engaging in a bracket 6 fixed on the wall I of the cabinet, whereas the other end of the core is adapted to receive the hemispherical bearing member 8 which is forced outward by the spring 9. This bearing member 8 and spring 9 are housed by a socket member Hll fixed'to the cabinet wall H. With this arrangement the roll of paper toweling is rotatably supported by and between the side walls 1 and II of the cabinet and may be readily mounted in place and removed.

The dispensing means C comprises opposed feed rollers 12 and I3 supported between the side walls 1 and II in position to frictionally engage the paper toweling extended downwardly therebetween from the roll B as shown in Fig. and to issue the toweling through the dispensing aperture D. A serrated tear-01f lip l4 extended downwardly from an edge of the aperture D provides for severing the extended lengths of towel from the supply thereof. As shown here, the roller l2 has its ends suitably journalled on the Walls 1 and l l and is driven by means of a pinion l5 thereon engaging a drive gear I 6 which is turned by means of the handle J. This handle is journalled' in the wall 1, and has the gear [6 fixed thereto inside the cabinet; whereby when the handle is rotated the gear [6 will rotate pinion i 5 and thereby drive the roller I2. A pawl device I! limits the movement of the handle to but a slight rotation in a direction other than that which will drive the roller l2. The roller I3 is tensioned against the roller [2 by means of a U shaped spring wire member I8 which has the center portion clipped on the bottom wall [9 by bendable tongues 20 and its upright ends 2| formed with bearing portions 22 adapted to receive the trunnions 23 of said roller l3. An offset portion 24 resting on the bottom wall prevents the member l8 from turning and maintains it in proper position. With this arrangement the member I 8 no t only removably supports the roller l3 in position, but exerts a yieldable pressure thereon to cause the paper toweling to be frictionally gripped between the rollers l2 and I3. Furthermore, the arrangement facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the apparatus.

When the handle J is turned in a clockwise direction itdrives the roller i2- which in cooperation with roller l3 will cause a predetermined length of towelingto be unrolled and then extended out through the aperture D, with each predetermined rotation of the said handle as governed by the stop means E. As here provided, the means E will arrest the dispensing operation at the completion of each revolution of handle J. To prevent the paper toweling from winding around the rollers l2- and I3; fingers 26 and 21- are struck upwardly from the bottom wall l9 and extend adjacent to the said rollers to act as guards, as will be seen with reference to Figs. 2 and 1-0; it being noted that the fingers 21 extend into circumferential grooves 28 formed in the roller l3. This roller has an enlarged portion 29 centrally of its ends to provide a centering action on the paper feeding between said rollers.

The stop means E as here shown comprises a bar 30 vertically slidably mounted in guides 3| on the side wall 1, a lateral extension 32 adjacent the upper end of saidbar, a latch member 33 pivoted at 34 between its ends in said extension, a keeper 35 fixed to said wall 7 and with which the latch is adapted to be lockingly engaged, and means of operative connection between said bar- 30- and the dispensing means. This means of operative connection comprises a bell crank -36 pivoted at 31 on the wall 1 and having one end engaged in a recess or opening 38- in said bar and its other end pivoted to a crank link 39. The link 39 is pivoted as at 40 to a point to one side of the center of the gear l6 whereby upon rotation of said gear the bar 30 will be moved up and down in the guides therefor.

The time controlled means F- cooperates with and controls the stop means E and in turn is set into operation by the latter. As here shown, saidtime controlled means essentially comprises the ball member G- and the runway H previously referred to, and said ball G is normally supported by the lateral extension 32' andis adapted to engage and-hold the latch out oflatching position, there being a stop pin- 12 on said extension to arrest movement of the ball and latch in one direction. The upper portion of the extension 32 is inclined so that the balltendsto. roll off the outer end thereof but is prevented from so doing by the upright wall member 43 of the runway H, as shown in Fig. 7;

As shown in Fig. 7 the ball, latch 33; and-associated parts are normallyin the position shown in full lines and the latch is locked with the keeper 35 while the ball, the weight of which is insufficient to overcome the frictional engagement of the latch with said keeper, lies on the pin 42 and rests against the upper end of the latch. In this position the ball is ready and sets the latch for release, but the weight of the ball will not become effective to rock the latch on its pivot and swing it out of latching position until the frictional engagement of the latch with the keeper is reduced. This is accomplished by lowering the bar 39 and latch and immediately the ball will swing the latch to unlatched position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, the ball at the same time rolling towards the outer end of the extension 32. This release of the stop means is effected by grasping the crank J and moving the same slightly in a counterclockwise direction, sufiicient movement in this direction being permitted by the pawl device whereupon the link gear [6, link 39 and bell crank 36 will effect a lowering of the bar 33 and latch 33 as aforesaid, and the dispenser is now ready for operation.

Upon now turning the crank J through one complete revolution in a clockwise direction, the dispensing means operates as hereinbefore described to issue a predetermined length of toweling. During this operation the member 30 is elevated and before the predetermined length of toweling has been issued, the .ball rolls off the extension 32 onto the upper end F of the runway H, as seen in Fig. 5, whereupon the time control means is set into operation. As the handle J completes the one revolution and the predetermined length of toweling is being issued the latch 33 is lowered past the keeper 35 and will swing into position by gravity to lock therewith upon the completion of said dispensing operation. It should be noted that at the time of completion of the one dispensing operation the bar 30 .has begun to move upward again and this movement causes the latch to closely engage and lock with said keeper. When thus engaged with the keeper the latch prevents such rotation of the crank as would cause issuance of toweling and the apparatus is therefore locked against being operated. At a predetermined time, for example, two and one-half to five or more seconds, following this locking action, the ball rolls off the runway H and onto the extension 32 and the parts assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7. The ball new contacts the upper end of the latch 33 but the weight of the ball is at this time ineffective to release the latch due to the frictional engagement of the latter with its keeper and, therefore, the ball merely sets the latch for manual release. To release the apparatus for a subsequent operation, the operator grasps the crank J and moves the same slightly in a counterclockwise direction and therefore as hereinbefore explained the bar 30 is lowered and the latch 33 is likewise lowered from contact with the keeper 35, and the weight of the ball is immediately effective to swing the latch clear of the keeper into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7. The apparatus is now subject to operation to dispense toweling. It is obvious that the weight of latch 33 overbalances member E when ball G is not resting on the upper portion thereof. Thus, gravity is effective for moving latch 33 into latching position, and gravity is also effective for moving said latch into unlatching position when the same is applied through the weight of the ball G. r r

It will be noted that the runway H comprises inclined tracks 44 and 45 enclosed in a small case 46. The track 45 may be provided with upwardly struck bafiles 41 arranged to delay the passage of the ball G thereover, said bafiies causing the ball to traverse a tortuous path. The track 45 leads the ball from the end of track 44 back onto the extension 32 of the bar 30. The length of these tracks and the extent of inclination thereof, also the number and arrangement of the baflles 41, determine the length of the time interval required for the gravitational passage of the ball G over said tracks and also determine the time interval during which the machine is prevented from being operated after one dispensing operation thereof.

It will now be seen that the apparatus of this invention is particularly eflicacious by reason of the fact that the operating handle J when initially moved causes the dispensing means to be released, and when subsequently moved first dispenses a predetermined length of towel and sets into operation the gravity influenced timing or delayed action means, and then locks the dispensing means against subsequent operation until the timing means after a predetermined lapse of time automatically renders the dispensing means subject to release by said handle J, as aforesaid.

With these provisions, a single operating member, viz. the handle J, provides for effecting operations of the dispenser with one hand in a particularly easy and convenient manner, and while controlling the operation to prevent undue waste of the toweling.

What we claim is:

1. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet adapted to contain a supply of toweling, manually releasable stop means for automatically arresting the dispensing of toweling when a predetermined length of toweling has been dispensed from said cabinet, manually operable means movable in one direction for releasing said stop means and in another direction for issuing toweling and including a handle operable exteriorly of the cabinet for movement in said two directions, and time controlled means automatically setting said stop means for manual release when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the dispensing of a predetermined length of toweling.

2. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet arranged to support a supply of toweling, manually operable means for dispensing measured lengths thereof including a handle operable exteriorly of the cabinet, means for limiting the operation of said dispensing means to the issue of a measured length of toweling at each operation, and time controlled means arranged to set said limiting means for release after a given length of time, and means of operative connection between said limiting means and said handle for releasing said limiting means upon movement of said handle in a direction other than that required to dispense toweling.

3. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet adapted to contain a supply of toweling, manually releasable stop means for automatically arresting the dispensing of toweling when a predetermined length of toweling has been dispensed, time controlled means automatically setting said stop means for manual release when a predetermined period of time has elapsed following the dispensing of a predetermined length of toweling, and manually operable means. for

releasing said stop means, said time controlled means including a runway, a member arranged to gravitationally traverse said runway from. a position maintaining said stop means released to a position ofsetting said stop means for manual release.

4. A towel dispenser. comprising a cabinet adapted to contain a supply of toweling, manually operable means for dispensing a predetermined length of toweling with each operation including a handle, a latch member, means operating up on each dispensing movement of the handle of the dispensing means for moving said latch into position tolock the dispensing means against subsequent operation, and also operable through movement of said handle to release said latch, and time controlled. means which automatically renders said latch releasable only after the lapse of a predetermined time interval following a dispensing operation.

5. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet adapted to contain a supply of toweling, and having an outlet through which said toweling is issued, a pair of dispensing rollers adapted to engage and issue the toweling through said outlet, means for rotating one of said rollers including a crank operable exteriorly of said cabinet, a member moving responsive to operation of said crank, a fixed keeper, a latch. pivotally supported on and movable with said member to and from looking engagement with saidkeeper, a timing member normally set for subsequently engaging and holding said latch out of locking contact with said keeper, and an inclined runway onto which said timing member is moved during f operation of said dispensing rollers and from which said timing member gravitates back into operative relation to said latch when the latter has locked with said keeper.

6. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet adapted to contain a supply of toweling, manually releasable stop means automatically arresting the issuance of toweling when a predetermined length thereof has been dispensed, time controlled means for rendering said stop means manually releasable only after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following the dispensing of a predetermined length: of toweling, and a combined dispensing and stop-releasing means initially movable to cause said releasing means to release said stop means and subsequently movable to cause said combined means to dispense a predetermined length of toweling and including a handle operable exteriorly of said cabinet for effecting said initial and subsequent movements.

7. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet adapted to contain a supply of toweling, manually releasable stop means automatically arresting the issuance of toweling when a predetermined length thereof has been. dispensed, time controlled means for rendering said stop means manually releasable after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following the dispensing of a predetermined length of toweling,. and a combined dispensing and stop-releasing means movable in one direction for operating the last named means for dispensing toweling and reversely movable to cause said last named means to release said stop means including a handle movable exteriorly of said cabinet for effecting the aforesaid movement in two directions.

8. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet adapted to contain a supply of toweling, manually releasable stop means automatically arresting the issuance of toweling when a predetermined length thereof has been dispensed, gravity actuated time controlled means for rendering saidstop means manually releasable after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following the dispensing of a predetermined length. of toweling, and dispensing means initially movable to release said stop means and subsequently movable to dispense a predetermined length of toweling.

9. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet adapted to contain a supply of toweling, manually releasable stop means automatically arresting the issuance of toweling when a predetermined length thereof has been dispensed, time controlled means for rendering said stop means manually releasable after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following the dispensing of a predetermined length of towelin and dispensing means movable in one direction for dispensing toweling and reversely movable to release said stop means, said time controlled means including an inclined runway, a gravitational member arranged to be moved from position contacting said stop means onto said runway during the dispensing operation and to gravitationally traverse said runway to a position of engagement with said stop means after completion of a dispensing operation, and means for moving said gravitational member onto said runway.

10. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet adapted to contain a supply of toweling, manually operable dispensing means for issuing tow-' eling from said cabinet, manually releasable stop means including a latch for automatically arresting the issuance of toweling when a predetermined length of toweling has been dispensed, and gravity influenced time controlled means including a ball for engaging and rendering said latch manually releasable after a predetermined period of time has elapsed following the dispensing of a predetermined length of toweling.

11. In a towel dispenser, a cabinet adapted to contain toweling, dispensing means including a roller operable in the cabinet for dispensing toweling therefrom, and a handle associated with and operable for turning said roller for effecting a dispensing operation; and stop means operatively associated with said dispensing means for releasably holding the dispensing means against reoperation following the dispensing of a predetermined amount of toweling, said stop means including gravity operated mechanism responsive to movement of the handle while the dispensing means is inoperative, for releasing said stop means whereby the handle may then be moved for operating the dispensingmeans and adapted for gravity operation into latching positions.

12. In a towel dispenser, a cabinet adapted to contain toweling, a handle movable exteriorly of the cabinet, a dispensing means operable in the cabinet for issuing toweling therefrom responsive to a predetermined movement of said handle, and a stop means adapted for gravity operation in opposite directions associated with said dispensing means for automatically arresting operation thereof when a predetermined amount of toweling has been issued, and thereafter responsive to another movement of the handle for releasing the dispensin means.

13. In an operating mechanism for a dispensing device, a rotatable operating member, means for latching said member aftereach operation thereof and for retaining it in latched condition for a predetermined length of time, and means operable by slight movement of the operating member after the lapse of said time, to release the latching means.

14. In an operating mechanism for a dispensing device, a rotatable operating member, means for latching said member after each operation thereof and for retaining it in latched condition for a predetermined length of time, and means operable by slight movement of the operating member in a direction opposite to its normal operation after the lapse of said time to release the latching means.

15. In an operating mechanism for a dispens- 

